Lessons
by Lucreace
Summary: This is a series of short stories (200-500w) based around the Harry Potter characters and their day to day antics. They will span a range of genres and include a range of characters and are a form of practice for my writing. Please feel free to leave suggestions.
1. 98 - Puzzle

**Welcome to the new list challenge. I've not really written much in the Harry Potter universe but thought it would be fun as I have enjoyed my other 100 list challenge. It is a new love of mine so please be kind. If you think there is anything glaringly wrong, please let me know and I will fix it as best I can. I write these little pieces for fun and practice, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!**

**It would be set in the children's second year at Hogwarts.**

98 – Puzzle

Ron and Harry looked intently at the puzzling cube before them. Apparently, there was a simple way of getting the small coloured stickers on the same side without peeling them all off. Harry scratched his head and Ron let out a sigh, they were never going to get out of this classroom. It was a fine day outside too, the warm sunshine filtered through the windows, heating the backs of the two students for the first time this year. "We're going to be here forever." Ron said as he set the cube down on the gnarled wooden bench once more. It was in more of a state than ever!

"We're the last ones in here." Harry said after glancing around. The only other person, if he could be called that, present in the room was Snape. He gave them a withering look before returning to the book he was reading. This time, Harry picked up the cube and began twisting the colours around. There had to be a knack to it, some form of order to do the bloody thing in. He could get so far, but then, a red sticker would be on the blue section and a yellow on the white and he'd have to start all over again. Ron sighed next to him and glanced out the window. The shadows lengthened and still, they failed to solve the puzzle. Finally, Snape stood up and stalked over.

"You're not actually trying to solve that are you?" he said. The two boys looked up at their pale tutor, Ron swallowed. "This is what happens when you don't listen!" He pulled his wand out from his sleeve and tapped the cube with it. The colours on the stickers flickered before turning the correct colours. "Next time, make sure you listen. In fact, I want a treatise on the merits of listening on my desk by morning, got it?" he said. The two boys nodded, not taking their eyes from the bench. Snape snorted before walking off.

"Looks like we may as well give up on the idea of going out in the sun." Harry said clambering off the desk.

"Wonder what crawled up his nose today." Ron said following his friend.

"Probably the sunshine." Both boys laughed and they left the room, feeling cheery despite their new 'assignment'.


	2. 63 - Do Not Disturb

It was the perfect evening. Harry and Ron had disappeared to Hogsmeade for whatever adventures they could find leaving Hermione to herself. She'd settled in the library to get her teeth stuck into a huge tome on potions, something she'd been meaning to read for ages now but never had a spare moment to do so. There was something Snape had said during one of his lectures that had sparked her interest and now was the perfect time to look into it. She'd just turned to the right page when the niggling sound of voices drifted over, shattering her concentration. She look around and there were the culprits, having a cosy chinwag like this was the Hufflepuff common room! She slammed her book shut, snorted and dragged the heavy tome off with her. She'd try the great hall; it was bound to be empty this time of night. A quick glance around the door told her otherwise, several professors were in there discussing some dance or another and her presence wouldn't be welcome at all!

She turned and lugged the book up the stairs instead; it looked as though it was going to be her dormitory after all. She just hoped that her bunkmates had decided to go out for the evening. When she arrived, the room was blissfully dark. She settled onto her comfortable bed and opened the book in front of her. It wasn't ideal, but at least she should be able to get some peace.


	3. 6 - Break

"Come on guys, we've been at this for hours now," Ron said. Harry looked up from the book he'd been reading and glanced at his friend.

"But we need to get this done for tomorrow," he said indicating the stack of questions on the table.

"A few hours won't hurt; I think if I read another thing I'm going to have brain melt." Ron said cradling his chin in his hands, "Give you a rematch!" he said

"What? You'll never beat me on a broom."

"Oh yeah? I been practicing, reckon I'll catch you this time."

"No way," Harry said flicking his hair out of his eyes. He pulled his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, they had been at it for a long time and maybe it wasn't a bad idea to take a break. He looked at Hermione, she was still perfectly happy reading away.

"Don't mind me, you boys take five if you need to," she said without looking up. Ron sighed. There was no way Harry would go now.

"Alright," Harry said, Ron smiled, "Come on Ron, we can finish this later." Ron jumped out of his chair with a whoop. Harry smiled at Hermione and left his seat, it was time for some fresh air!


	4. 15 - Silence

Professor McGonagall leaned forward over her desk, her eyes narrow under her glasses, and her hands spread wide on the heavy oak desk. Her thin lips were pulled tight and her cheeks flushed an unhealthy shade of red. Harry looked down at his feet and willed the floor to swallow him up. Maybe there was a spell for that sort of thing. Ron stood next to him, his back straight and his chin jutting into his chest. He too looked as though he wanted the floor to swallow him up.

"Well, explain yourself!" she snapped. Harry coughed, keeping his eyes on the floor; Ron was curiously out of words too. "How dare you? Transfiguration is not for use on ANYTHING!" she said. Her voice rising as she yelled at them. Harry flinched, this was it, he and Ron were going to be thrown out! He remained silent; any word spoken now would make her even angrier. "You'll be spending the next week in detention with Professor Trelawney and I never want to hear about you turning her teacups into frogs again, do I make myself clear?" Silence, "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," both boys nodded. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all…


	5. 66 - Snow

Hermione awoke and threw the curtains open in her dormitory, crisp white snow covered the entire landscape and the clouds looked as though they were fit to burst with another layer of the delicate white stuff. A squeal, a grab of clothing and a burst of energy found her outside with her friends. There was only one thing for it; get the boys back for their efforts last year! She motioned to Luna to begin stock piling snowballs while she distracted Harry. Ron was still struggling to get his boots on at the door.

"So Harry how's the studying going?" she asked.

"Only you could think of lessons at a time like this!" Harry laughed. He was busy gathering snow and smushing it into a hefty ball. Hermione's eyes widened and she dashed away, turning just as the cold wet ball exploded against her back. She reached Luna's stash and was about to hurl it straight at Harry when another ball hit him in the side of the head.

"Ow!" he cried. His hand sought his hairline and he rubbed it.

"Hey! Potter! You and your little friends up to a real snowball war?" Draco Malfoy stood with his hands planted firmly on his hips. Crabbe and Goyle were waiting behind him with a handful of other Slytherin's. Hermione lobbed the snowball that was in her hand at him, scoring a shot on his shoulder.

"You are most definitely on!" she shouted. That was it, the war had begun!


	6. 74 - Confrontation

It had all started three days ago, over the silliest of comments, and now Ron was avoiding her like the Harry avoiding Snape on a sunny day. Admittedly, she had reacted badly, screaming at him until she was red in the face and he a jabbering wreck but that wasn't the point, she was trying to apologise now wasn't she? Hermione had looked in the library, on the quidditch pitch and in the Great Hall. He was in none of those places. She had decided it was time to head back to the common room and wait for him by the fire.

She flopped into her favourite chair and pulled her book from behind the cushion, making sure she could see who was in the room. It wasn't long before Ron hurtled into the room, making a beeline straight for the stairs. "Ron," she said, flinging her book to the side. It looked as though she hadn't heard. "Ron!" she shouted. He didn't stop. "Ronald Weasley, don't you ignore me!" This time he turned around. His face was pale and she could see him swallow.

"Uh. Hi Hermione," he shrugged.

She licked her lips, her throat suddenly dry, "Look. About what I said the other day…" her voice died as she saw Ron smile. Ignoring it, she forced herself onward, "It was wrong and I'm sorry." She thrust her hand forward and screwed her eyes shut, would he accept or not? It had been awful. Warm fingers curled around her own.

"Me too," he said. She opened her eyes and his lopsided grin greeted her, "We friends?" Hermione nodded, her shoulders sagged and she returned Ron's goofy smile.

"Yes," she said. Her dropped her hand and grinned. He turned and headed up the stairs while she returned to the warmth of the fire, pleased that the situation was now resolved.


	7. 84 - Cold

"Oh come on, it's not as though you put that much effort into it anyway," Harry said clapping Neville on the back. Neville looked down at his Charms assignment grade and sighed. It was easy for people like Potter; success seemed to come easily to him. Neville had worked really hard on that homework but not matter how hard he tried; he always seemed to miss the point somehow. Now he would have to re-do the assignment while everyone else was having fun. He muttered a response to Harry, who had already cleared off with Ron and Hermione, in search of someone else to laugh at no doubt.

Neville folded the assignment in half and strode off down the corridor, wondering again at what Harry had said. Maybe he'd said it to try and cheer him up but his words had bitten deeper than Neville would ever admit. He shook his head, clearing the blow away. There was only one thing for it, he would have to have another go at this assignment and get a better mark than Harry, maybe even Hermione. He snorted, maybe not! Still, he would improve and that would surely remove the sting of his friend's words.


	8. 11 - Memory

Draco looked at Crabbe and sniggered. There really was something funny about the giant goon. His eyes were vacant and staring and his mouth slack, there was even a bit of drool sliding out the corner. Goyle clapped him on the back and winked, "Hey Crabbe, where did you leave the Charms book you needed for your homework?" Goyle said.

"What?" Crabbe said. The great lummox remembered to wipe the dribble from the corner of his mouth this time. Draco spluttered another laugh, tears streamed from his eyes and poured, unchecked down his mirth filled cheeks. This was the best day ever.

"What about the date you have with Granger?" Draco said. This time, Crabbe frowned and scratched his head. Goyle fell over the back of the chair and sprawled on the floor, clutching his sides. Draco coughed out another laugh, his eyes screwed shut. This was the best day ever. He made a mental note to clap old Flitwick on the back when he was next in class.

"Date with Granger!" Goyle sniggered from the floor. "Quality."

"I know!" barked Draco. "What else, come on Goyle." Goyle opened his mouth to speak but hastily shut it again. He sat up from the floor and scuttled back to the sofa, his eyes wide. "Come on Goyle."

"Yes, do find something to say that will make us all fall about laughing at your friend's misfortune." The smooth voice of Snape cut through Draco, banishing all mirth, "What about you Draco?" All thoughts of fun escaped him; all he could do was flush and look at the floor. "Then I suggest you put Crabbe back to the way he should be and then begin preparing a paper on why memory charms are not to be used for personal amusement. I want it on my desk tomorrow morning and I want three foot's worth!" Draco swallowed as the Head of House turned away. Goyle lifted the spell and shot a grin at Draco. He had to bite back a laugh as he mouthed the word 'Granger' at him. The laughs almost made writing the paper worth it.


	9. 31 - Flower

It had been months now; Neville had been getting up before everyone else and creeping to the greenhouses while they slept on unaware. Every morning, he made sure the Spiky Prickly Plant was fed and watered. It had been hard at first, the damned thing didn't realise he had been trying to help and had filled him with spines on more than one occasion. He'd nearly used the severing charm on it and left it at that but no, he had persevered and now it was paying off.

Neville's heart thudded and jumped in his chest as he quietly pulled the wooden chair up to the bench where the plant sat. The red light of the dawn filtered through the clear glass, gently chasing away the chill of the night. The gargantuan bud on the Spiky Prickly Plant bobbed as the first light touched its delicate petals. Neville watched as the brilliant yellow folds began to unfurl. His breath caught in his throat as slowly, the neon petals rolled back. Inside, the deeper hues began to glow, announcing their presence to the wide world. The scent assaulted his nose, a strong heady smell that reminded him sharply of home for some reason. The perfect red stamen bobbed in the tranquil breeze and Neville released the breath he had been holding. It was perfect, the most beautiful flower he had ever seen.


End file.
